Winglock slider for slide fasteners



Nov. 30, 194. L. L. JONES WINGLOGK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS- Filed March 3, 1944 INVENTOR. Jester L Jnes Patented Nov. 30, 1948 2,455,178 WINGLOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Lester L. Jones, Oradell, N. 3., assignor to Conmar Products Corporation, Newark, N. .L, a corporation oi New Jersey Application March 3, 1944, Serial No. 524,861

This'invention relates to-slide fasteners, and

more particularly to a winglock slider for slide Y-shaped channel. The inner lateral surfaces of those portions of the slider flanges forming the two branches of the Y as well as the diamond act to cam the two stringer halves of a slide fastener together when the slider is moved to make the separate stringers enter the slider channel, i. e., to close the fastener, whereas the diamond acts to cam the stringers apart when the slider is moved in the reverse direction to open the slide fastener.

In closures where the stringers of a closed or partially closed slide fastener are subjected to cross pull, a slider of usual construction unwantedly moves in the opening direction. This is due to a lengthwise component of the cross pull acting against the Y branches of the slider flanges. The magnitude of that component depends upon the angle between the Y branches.

Various lock sliders have been devised to prevent unwanted opening of slide fasteners. In one type of lock slider, the free end portions of the Y branches of the slider flanges are made parallel to reduce the tendency of the slider to move in Opening direction when cross pull is applied to the fastener stringers. The known constructions of this type, however, are not entirely satisfactory. Although they prevent mov ing of sliders in the opening direction under steady cross pull,,they do not prevent sliders from creeping open under the intermittent cross pulls that occur in normal use. prior constructions, when a. slider emerging fastener element on one stringer is in locking engagement with the contiguous flange end of the slider, the opposite flange end of the slider is adjacent a space between two elements on the other stringer. Thus the emerging fastener element on this other stringer is free to move differentially until it comes into .locking engagement with this opposite slider flange end. With the parts assuming this relation, when the slide fastener is subjected to a cross pull (the pull being usually in opposing directions exerted on the twotapes) the freedom of differential movement of the opposite stringer permits the emerging element on the first stringer to cam over and free 4 Claims. (Ci. 24-205.)

on the opposite stringer comes into locking engagement with the said opposite slider. flange end. The slider is thus caused to creep open a distance equalling the thickness of an element or the space between elements. On a new exertion of a cross pull, another camming action of an element, this time on the opposite stringer, takes place, and so on. A series of intermittent pulls, therefore, results in the .creeping open action of the slider.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide an improved slider construction of the type above referred to wherein this "creeping open action is obviated, the slider flanges acting as true locking means for the slider, i. e.', wherein the slider is rendered inherently self-locking without the requirement of extraneous locking means. The slider maintainsitself looked under the influence of cross pull applied intermittently as wellas continuously either above or directly through the slider.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide such a slider construction embodying locking means which prevent the slider In these itself from its slider flange end and thus cam from intermittently moving incrementally or in.

short distances (creeping) in opening direction during use of a fastener.

Also, in order to minimize the tendency of the sliders of the above referred to known type to creep open, it has been heretofore the practice to so construct such sliders that undesirably the running quality of the fasteners used with these sliders is rendered more diflicult; for example, the friction between the sliders and the slider fastener elements riding through the slidcrsis increased. It is a further advantage of the slider made according to the present invention that it has the desired good looking qualities without detrimentally affecting the easy running quality in addition a portion of a slide fastener) taken in.

section in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in a slightly different relation;

Fig. 4. is a view similar to Fig. 2 also showing the parts in a different relation;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified slider;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of another modification; and

Fig. 'I be plan view of still another modification.

Referring to the drawings and having first reference to Figs. 1 and 2. the slider S is shown to comprise a top plate or wing T and a bottom plate or wing B, the top wing being provided with a lug L for supporting a pull (not shown).

The two wings are connected by a camming post or so-called diamond D and have at their opposite side edges inwardly bent flanges generally designated as F, F and F, F, respectively. The inner surfaces of the wings and flanges and the diamond define aY-shaped channel adapted to receive and guide the two stringers of a slide fastener, that is, the usual beaded edges of two fastener tapes t, t and the fastener elements spacedly secured to the beads. Slots 8, 8 between the flanges F, F and F, F, respectively, are adapted to receive the free edges of the tapes t, t extending through these slots.

The Y-shaped channel can be best seen in Figs. 2 to 4. In these figures, the Y-shaped slider channel is shown as being partly defined by the inner surface s of the bottom wing B, the inner surfaces of the flanges F, F and the diamond D. The Y-shaped channel comprises a straight stem portion Illa, a gradualy widening portion lb, and two branches I00, I separated by the diamond and forming divergent and parallel portions, the latter extending parallel to each other and to the stem portion. Accordingly, the flanges F, F comprise two parallel walls l2, it, two angularly disposed walls l4, l4, and two parallel walls l6, IS. The wall It terminates at its top in the slider flange end e and the wall iii in the slider flange end e.

According to the principles of the present invention, the slider flange ends e and e, and more generally the slider parts which are to lockingly engage the slide fastener elements of the opposite stringers, are displaced or disposed asymmetrically to correspond to the staggered or asymmetric positions of the slide fastener elements of the opposite stringers. This is accomplished in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 by making one of the walls l6, 16, such, for example, as the wall l6 longer (than the wall l6) by the element staggered amount, namely, by approximately one-half of the pitch between two adjacent fastener elements of the slide fastener stringer to be used witl' the slider. The slide fastener shown as being slidably received in the slider channel is one of the commonly used types employing two stringers each of which comprises a tape t and a series of uniformly spaced fastener elements, generally designated as 22, mounted around the bead 20 of the tape.

.The following is submittedto explain only in a broad way the function of the improved slider shown in Figs. 1 to 4, it being believed that actions other than those mentioned also become effective. If the slider is actuated longitudinally by means of its pull while no cross pull is applied to the fastener, the slider will function to close Fig. 3 shows the condition the parts assume when a cross pull is applied in line with the double pointed arrow X, i. e., outside the slider at its wide end. The ends e'and e' of the flanges, F, F, lockingly engage the leg end portions of two emerging fastener elements 22:: and 22d and thereby act to retain the slider against undesired opening movement. In Fig. 4, a case is illustrated where the transverse force is exerted in line with the slider as indicated by the arrows Y, Y. Here the elements within the channel portions iOb, lilc and lllc' engage the slider flanges and prevent in this way the slider from undesired opening.

Referring now to Fig. 3 and to Fig. 4 in greater detail, the fastener elements on the left stringer are designated 22a to 220 and those on the right stringer 22d to 229. In Fig. -3, a stress is assumedly applied tending to separate the stringers in line with the double pointed arrow X. It will be noted that at the left hand stringer the element 22a is shown engaging the end e of the flange F while the element 22d is engaging the end e of the flange F. Further, it will be observed that due to the fact that the flange wall i6 is longer than the flange wall i6 by approximately one-half of the pitch between two elements, there is always either an element on each of the two stringers (as shown in Fig. 3) or no element at all (as shown in Fig. 4) so positioned as to engage the respective flange ends e and e. When a cross pull is applied and the parts happen to be in the position shown in Fig. 4, the slider will move only the first increment to the position shown in Fig. 3. Here both emerging elements 22a and 22d of the opposite stringers simultaneously engage the, opposite slider flange ends e and e'. Both stringers are, therefore, locked. Neither stringer has thus any element free for any clifierential movement on the next cross pull. On the next cross pull, since neither the element 22a nor the element 2211 is free to move differential'y, there is no tendency (which would be induced by such freedom of movement) for the opposite stringer element to cam over its flange end, and hence there is no tendency for further and open the fastener in a normal manner. From Fig. 2, which represents this normal or balanced condition, it will be clear that in such a case the elements move freely and unhindered in the channel portion 10b, I00, and lilo. The flexibility of the stringers will make it possible that the heads of the elements pass freely over the diamond D while the legs of the elements ride freely'over the inner faces of the flange walls H, M, l6, l6. Thus an easy running slider action is Produced.

incremental movement of the slider. The slider is thus effectively and automatically winglocked to the slide fastener stringers.

.In prior constructions, on the contrary, where the parallel extending flange walls at the wide slider end were equally long, the emerging element of one of the stringers was usually in engagement with a flange end while the emerging element of the opposite stringer was not but was free to move into such engagement by a cross pull, with the result that intermittent cross pulls brought about intermittent and alternating vcamming actions of the elements of the opposite stringers with the resulting "creeping" open action of the slider. Thus, in using, for instance. a slider like that shown in Fig. 3, where, however, both of the parallel flange walls at the wide slider end are equally long, the emerging element 22a would be engaging the flange end e, while the element 22d would be outside theslider and the element 22c inside, and the end e would then be adjacent the space beween these elements. Such constructions have the result that, on exertion of cross pull on the fastener, the element 22a is free to move into engagement with its flange end and the element 22a is cammed out being repositioned so that the tendency of the slider again to move a small distance would continue to exist, and so on.

Reverting to Fig. 4, on cross pull being exerted in line with the arrows Y, Y, the elements 22a to Ho and 22d to My are brought into contact with the inner faces of the walls i4, l4, l8 and it". The locking action is achieved chiefly by these elements engaging the respective flange walls.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. a slider 24 is provided with a lug 28. The flanges of each slider wing comprise two parallel walls 28, 28 which help guide the elements when in locked condition, two diverging walls 80, 80 which curve outwardly and upwardly and merge into parallel end walls 82, 32'. The straight wall 32 is longer than the straight wall 32 by approximately one-half of the pitch between two elements. It will be evident that the improved looking action in accordance with the invention,

namely the prevention of the creeping of the slider in opening direction, when put under a lateral strain, will also beobtained in this case.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the slider 36 is formed so that the wide slider end forms a straight and fiat surface end 38. The surface end 38 is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the slider. The slider lug is marked 40 and the diamond 42. The flange wall 44' of each slider wing is longer than the corresponding wall 44 by approximately one-half of the pitch between two elements.

A further modification is shown in Fig. 7 which modification has the appearance of a symmetrical slider. The flange wall 48 at the right of each of the two slider wings is longer than the corresponding wall 48 by approximately one-half of the pitch between two elements. In this form, the end e ofthe slider wall 48 terminates below the top surface 48 of the slider (or the end e) a distance corresponding to about one-half the pitch between two elements. While in this modiflcation the slider appears to be symmetrical, the

inwardly bent flanges are thus of different lengths exactly as in the other modifications shown.

It is to be understood that according to the invention the slider flanges may be given any shape provided there are intermediate portions adapted to perform the desired camming action, and generally parallel end portions or members at the wide-slider end having the locking parts arranged asymmetrically or staggered to correspond to the staggering 01 the fastener elements on the opposite stringers, The generally parallel end portions or members may be relatively short. It will be clear from the foregoing that the novel slider construction is adapted to plastic molding, die casting and any other suitable manufacturing method for metal.

The winglock slider of my present invention, the manner of its use and the advantages thereof will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. It will be further apparent that while I have shown preferred forms of the structure, many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A winglock slider for slide fasteners comprisingtwo spaced wings joined at their upper ends and provided at their opposite sides with inturned flanges, said slider defining an internal 6 Y-shaped channel for the through movement of two interlocking slide fastener stringers, the opposite sides of at least one of said wings being provided at the upper end of the slider with inturned generally parallel and longitudinally arranged flange members which are adapted to lockingly'engage the elements of the slide fastener stringers on a cross pull, the free ends of said members being asymmetrically spaced longitudinally of the slider a distance approximately equal to one-half of the pitch between the fastener elements on the stringers.

2. A winglock slider for slide fasteners comprising two spaced 'wings joined at their upper ends and provided at their opposite sides with inturned flanges, said slider defining an internal Y-shaped channel for the through movement of two interlocking slide fastener stringers, the opposite sides of said wings being provided at the upper endof the slider with inturned generally parallel and longitudinally arranged fiange members which are adapted to lockingly engage the elements of the slide fastener stringers on a cross pull, the free ends of said members being asymmetrically spaced longitudinally Of the slider a distance approximately equal to one-half of th pitch between the fastener elements on the stringers.

3. A winglock slider for slide fasteners comprisingtwo spaced wings joined at their upper ends and provided at their opposite sides with inturned flanges, said slider defining an internal Y-shaped channel for the through movement of two interlockin slide fastener stringers, the opposite inturned flanges of at least one of said wings comprising lower portions, intermediate diverging portions and upper portions, the upper portions of said latter opposite flanges being generally parallel to each other and the free ends of said parallel portions being staggered longitudinally oi' the slider a distance approximately equal to one-half of the pitch between the fastener elements of the stringer.

4. A winglock slider for slide fasteners comprisingtwo spaced wings joined at their upper ends and provided at their opposite sides with inturned flanges, said slider defining an internal Y-shaped channel for the through movement of two interlocking slide fastener stringers, the opposite inturned fianges of said wings comprising lower portions, intermediate diverging portions (ill , Number and upper portions, the upper portions of said flanges of said wings being generally parallel to each other and the free ends of said parallel portions being staggered longitudinally of the slider a distance approximately equal to one-half of the pitch between. the fastener elements of the stringer,

. LESTER L. JONES.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Carpmill Feb. 14, 1928 Rothschild June 26, 1928 Norton Apr. 12, 1932 Quisling- May 14, 1935 Legat Dec. 3, 1940 Marinsky et al Aug. 15, 1944 

